Tape wiring substrate and tape package using the same

ABSTRACT

A tape wiring substrate may have dispersion wiring patterns. The dispersion wiring patterns may be provided between input/output wiring pattern groups to compensate for the intervals therebetween. Connecting wiring patterns may be configured to connect the dispersion wiring patterns to a first end of the adjacent input/output wiring pattern.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 11/586,601, filed Oct. 26, 2006, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a tape package technique and, more particularly, to a tape wiring substrate with improved EMI noise characteristic and a tape package using the same.

This U.S. non-provisional application claims benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 of Korean Patent Application No. 2006-29662, filed on Mar. 31, 2006, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

2. Description of the Related Art

With the development of the flat display industry (e.g., LCDs for portable phones, TFT LCDs for computers and PDPs for domestic use) tape packaging, which is a component of flat display devices, is a technology that is continually evolving. As the flat display devices decrease in size, the respective tape packaging requires ever finer pitch of wiring patterns.

Tape packages may use a tape wiring substrate, and include tape carrier packages (TCPs) and chip on film (COF) packages. The TCPs may include a tape wiring substrate having a window and a semiconductor chip mounted on the tape wiring substrate using an inner lead bonding method. The COF packages may include a solid tape wiring substrate and a semiconductor chip mounted on the tape wiring substrate using a flip-chip bonding method.

in the COF packages, input/output terminal patterns may act as external connection terminals, as opposed to solder balls. The input/output terminal patterns may be directly attached to a printed circuit board or a display panel. The input/output terminal patterns may include inner leads formed at one end and outer leads formed at the other end.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a conventional tape package 100. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line

-II of FIG. 1. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the COF package 100 may include a tape wiring substrate 40 and a semiconductor chip 10 that is “flip-chip” bonded to the tape wiring substrate 40 using electrode bumps 16 and 17. An encapsulant 50 may be used to seal the flip-chip bonded portions between the semiconductor chip 10 and the tape wiring substrate 40. The electrode bumps 16 and 17 may be used for input or output signals.

The electrode bumps 16 and 17 may be provided at a peripheral region of an active surface 12 of the semiconductor chip 10 at irregular intervals. The peripheral region of the active surface 12 of the semiconductor chip 10 may include an occupied region 13 where the electrode bumps 16 and 17 are provided, and an unoccupied region 14 where the electrode bumps 16 and 17 are not provided. The width of the unoccupied region 14 may be equal to or larger than the pitch of the electrode bumps 16 and 17.

The unoccupied region 14 may include a first unoccupied region 14 a and a second unoccupied region 14 b. The first unoccupied region 14 a may be used to provide circuit wirings connecting the input bumps 16, and the second unoccupied region 14 b may be used to provide circuit wirings connecting the output bumps 17 to test pads (not shown). The first unoccupied region 14 a may be provided in the arrangement of the input bumps 16 and the second unoccupied region 14 b may be provided in the arrangement of the output bumps 17. The test pads may be provided in scribe lines (not shown), i.e. areas formed between adjacent semiconductor chips.

The tape wiring substrate 40 may include a base film 20 and wiring patterns 31 and 33 provided on the base film 20. The tape wiring substrate 40 may have a wiring region 23 where the wiring patterns 31 and 33 are provided, and a non-wiring region 25 where the wiring patterns 31 and 33 are not provided. The wiring region 23 may correspond to the occupied region 13 of the semiconductor chip 10, and the non-wiring region 25 may correspond to the unoccupied region 14 of the semiconductor chip 10.

When the semiconductor chip 10 is bonded to the tape wiring substrate 40, the tape wiring substrate 40 may be deformed at the non-wiring region 25 due to thermal stresses. As a result, the input/output wiring patterns 31 and 33 near the non-wiring region 25 may be dislocated, thus leading to incorrect bonding between the input/output wiring patterns 31 and 33 and the electrode bumps 16 and 17, respectively. A wider non-wiring region 25 and finer pitches of the input/output wiring patterns 31 and 33 may result in more poor bonding faults. As shown in FIG. 2, the output wiring pattern 33 near the non-wiring region 25 may move toward the unoccupied region 14, for example distance (d1) becoming smaller than distance (d2).

To solve this problem, a semiconductor chip may have dummy bumps provided at an unoccupied region while a complementary tape wiring substrate may have respective dummy wiring patterns provided at a non-wiring region for bonding to the dummy bumps.

Although the conventional art is generally thought to provide acceptable performance, it is not without shortcomings. For example, in actual practice dummy bumps may be not connected to internal circuit wirings of a semiconductor chip and dummy wiring patterns may be not connected to input/output wiring patterns. Either situation can result in deteriorated EMI noise characteristics.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An example embodiment of the present invention is directed to improving EMI noise characteristic.

According to an example embodiment of the present invention, a tape wiring substrate includes a base film having a chip mounting area and base wiring patterns provided on the base film. The base wiring patterns includes a plurality of input and/or output (input/output) wiring patterns provided in groups at a regular interval and arranged at a regular pitch in each group, the input/output wiring patterns each having a first end arranged around the chip mounding area, at least one dispersion wiring pattern provided between the input/output wiring pattern groups, and connecting wiring patterns configured to connect the dispersion wiring patterns to the adjacent input/output wiring pattern.

According to another example embodiment, a tape package includes a tape wiring substrate that includes a base film having a chip mounting area and base wiring patterns provided on the base film. The base wiring patterns includes a plurality of input and/or output (input/output) wiring patterns provided in groups at a regular interval and arranged at a regular pitch in each group, the input/output wiring patterns each having a first end arranged around the chip mounding area, wherein the input/output wiring pattern extends to the opposing side of the base film from the chip mounting area, at least one dispersion wiring pattern provided between the input/output wiring pattern groups, and connecting wiring patterns configured to connect the dispersion wiring patterns to the adjacent input/output wiring pattern. The tape package further includes a semiconductor chip having an active surface with electrode bumps, the electrode bump being bonded to the first end of the input/output wiring pattern of the tape wiring substrate, and an encapsulant sealing the bonded portions between the semiconductor chip and the tape wiring substrate.

In yet another example embodiment, a tape package includes a tape wiring substrate, a semiconductor chip having an active surface with electrode bumps arranged in groups at a regular interval in a peripheral region with the semiconductor chip bonded to the tape wiring substrate using the electrode bumps, and an encapsulant sealing the bonded portions between the semiconductor chip and the tape wiring substrate. The tape wiring substrate includes a base film having a chip mounting area, input/output wiring patterns provided on the base film and having first end arranged around the chip mounting area and bonded to the electrode bumps of the semiconductor chip, and dispersion wiring patterns provided on the base film corresponding to areas between the electrode bump groups and connected to the first end of the adjacent input/output wiring pattern.

In still another example embodiment, a tape package includes a tape wiring substrate, and a semiconductor chip having an active surface with electrode bumps arranged in a peripheral region at an irregular interval, the semiconductor chip being bonded to the tape wiring substrate using the electrode bumps. The tape wiring substrate includes a base film having a chip mounting area, input/output wiring patterns provided on the base film and having first end arranged around the chip mounting area at an irregular interval corresponding to the electrode bumps of the semiconductor chip and bonded to the electrode bump of the semiconductor chip, dispersion wiring patterns provided between the first end of the input/output wiring patterns to compensate for the intervals between the first end of the input/output wiring pattern, and connecting wiring patterns configured to connect the dispersion wiring patterns to the first end of the adjacent input/output wiring pattern.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The example embodiments of the present invention will be readily understood with reference to the following detailed description thereof provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate like structural elements.

FIG. 1. is a plan view of a conventional tape package.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line

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of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a tape package in accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line

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of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a tape package in accordance with another example embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line

-

of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a tape package in accordance with another example embodiment of the present invention.

These drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not drawn to scale. The spatial relationships and relative sizing of the elements illustrated in the various embodiments may have been reduced, expanded or rearranged to improve the clarity of the figures with respect to the corresponding description. The figures, therefore, should not be interpreted as accurately reflecting the relative sizing or positioning of the corresponding structural elements that could be encompassed by an actual device manufactured according to the example embodiments of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

Example, non-limiting embodiments of the present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the example embodiments set forth herein. Rather, the disclosed embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. The principles and features of this invention may be employed in varied and numerous embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention.

It should be noted that the figures are intended to illustrate the general characteristics of methods and devices of example embodiments of this invention, for the purpose of the description of such example embodiments herein. These drawings are not, however, to scale and may not precisely reflect the characteristics of any given embodiment, and should not be interpreted as defining or limiting the range of values or properties of example embodiments within the scope of this invention. Rather, for simplicity and clarity of illustration, the dimensions of some of the elements are exaggerated relative to other elements.

Further, well-known structures and processes are not described or illustrated in detail to avoid obscuring the present invention. Like reference numerals are used for like and corresponding parts of the various drawings.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a tape package 200 in accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line

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of FIG. 3. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the tape package 200 may include a tape wiring substrate 140 and a semiconductor chip 110 flip-chip bonded to the tape wiring substrate 140 using electrode bumps 116 and 117. An encapsulant 150 may be used to seal the flip-chip bonded portions between the semiconductor chip 110 and the tape wiring substrate 140.

One or more dispersion wiring patterns 135 a and 135 b may be connected to adjacent input/output wiring patterns 131 and 133, respectively, which may reduce the conventional problem associated with EMI noise characteristic.

The semiconductor chip 110 may have an active surface 112 with the electrode bumps 116 and 117. The active surface 112 may be formed in the shape of a rectangle with two relatively longer opposing sides. The electrode bumps 116 and 117 may include input bumps 116 and output bumps 117. The input bumps 116 may be arranged at the center of one longer side of the active surface 112. The output bumps 117 may be arranged at the remaining peripheral region of the active surface 112 except for the input bump formation area.

The active surface 112 may have occupied regions 113 where the electrode bumps 116 and 117 are provided, and unoccupied regions 114 where the electrode bumps 116 and 117 are not provided. The unoccupied regions 114 may be provided between the occupied regions 113. The electrode bumps 116 and 117 in each occupied region 113 may be arranged at a regular pitch. The width of the unoccupied region 114 may be in multiple proportion to the pitch of the electrode bumps 116 and 117. For example, the width of the unoccupied region 114 where the input bumps 116 are not provided may be twice the pitch of the input bumps 116, and the width of the unoccupied region 114 where the output bumps 117 are not provided may be twice the pitch of the output bumps 117. Thereby, the dispersion wiring patterns 135 a and 135 b may be arranged in conformity with the pitch of the input/output wiring patterns 131 and 133, respectively.

The tape wiring substrate 140 may include a base film 120 and wiring patterns 130 provided on the base film 120. The wiring patterns 130 may include input wiring patterns 131 and output wiring patterns 133. The wiring patterns 130 may be formed by patterning a metal layer on the base film. The base film 120 may have a chip mounting area at the center thereof. The base film 120 may have a wiring region 123 where the input/output wiring patterns 131 and 133 are provided as well as a non-wiring region 125 where the input/output wiring patterns 131 and 133 are not provided. The base film 120 may be formed from an insulating synthetic resin, such as a polyimide resin, an acrylic resin, a polyether-nitrile resin, a polyether-sulfone resin, a polyethylene terephthalate resin, a polyethylene naphthalate resin or a polyvinyl chloride resin.

The wiring patterns 130 may be formed by forming a Cu (or some other conductor) foil on one surface of the base film 120 and patterning the Cu foil using a photographic process. The wiring patterns 130 may include the input/output wiring patterns 131 and 133, dispersion wiring patterns 135 a and 135 b, and connecting wiring patterns 137 a and 137 b. The input/output wiring patterns 131 and 133 may extend to the opposing sides of the base film 120 from the chip mounting area, and may have one end arranged around the chip mounting area and the other end opposite to one end. The one ends of the input/output wiring patterns 131 and 133 may be provided in groups at a regular interval and arranged at a regular pitch in each group. The pitch of the one end of the input/output wiring patterns 131 and 133 may correspond to the pitch of the electrode bumps 116 and 117, respectively.

The input wiring pattern 131 may extend to one side of the base film 120 from the chip mounting area and be connected to a printed circuit board, and the output wiring pattern 133 may extend to the other side of the base film 120 from the chip mounting area and be connected to a panel.

The dispersion wiring pattern 135 a and 135 b may be provided at the non-wiring area 125. The width of the non-wiring region 125 may be in multiple proportion to the pitch of the one end of the input/output wiring pattern 131 and 133. The pitch of the dispersion wiring patterns 135 a and 135 b may be equal to the pitch of the one end of the input/output wiring pattern 131 and 133, respectively. The length of the dispersion wiring patterns 135 a and 135 b may be shorter than the length of the input/output wiring pattern 131 and 133, and may be equal to the length of the one end of the adjacent input/output wiring pattern 131 and 133. The dispersion wiring patterns 135 a and 135 b may be configured to compensate for the irregular arrangement of the input/output wiring patterns 131 and 133, which may disperse thermal stresses applied to the non-wiring region 125 during bonding of the semiconductor chip 110 to the tape wiring substrate 140, and thus provide improved bonding between the input/output wiring pattern 131 and 133 and the electrode bumps 116 and 117 of the semiconductor chip 110. As shown in FIG. 4, the output wiring pattern 133 near the non-wiring region 125 may be bonded to the center of the output bump 117, for example distance (d1) being equal to distance (d2).

The connecting wiring patterns 137 a and 137 b may be configured to connect the dispersion wiring patterns 135 a and 135 b to the one end of the adjacent input/output wiring pattern 131 and 133, respectively. Here, the adjacent input/output wiring patterns 131 and 133 may be the input/output wiring pattern adjacent to one side of the dispersion wiring patterns 135 a and 135 b. By virtue of the connecting wiring patterns 137 a and 137 b, the dispersion wiring patterns 135 a and 135 b may be connected to the input/output wiring patterns 131 and 133, thereby reducing the likelihood of faults associated with EMI noise characteristic. Note that the connecting wiring patterns 137 a and 137 b may connect the dispersion wiring pattern 135 a and 135 b to the one end of the input/output wiring pattern 131 and 133, respectively.

The dispersion wiring patterns 135 a and 135 b may include a first dispersion wiring pattern 135 a between the input wiring patterns 131 and a second dispersion wiring pattern 135 b between the output wiring patterns 133. The connecting wiring patterns 137 a and 137 b may include a first connecting wiring pattern 137 a configured to connect the first dispersion wiring pattern 135 a to the adjacent input wiring pattern 131 and a second connecting wiring pattern 137 b configured to connect the second dispersion wiring pattern 135 b to the adjacent output wiring pattern 133. The wiring patterns 130 may be formed from any materials having good electrical conductivity, such as Cu, Ni, Au, solder or an alloy thereof. The wiring patterns 130 may be provided on one surface or two surfaces of the base film 120.

Note that the encapsulant 150 may be configured to protect the flip-chip bonded portions between the semiconductor chip 110 and the tape wiring substrate 140 using an underfill process.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a tape package 300 in accordance with another example embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line

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of FIG. 5. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the tape package 300 of this example embodiment is similar to the tape package 200 of the above embodiment, but includes dispersion bumps 218 a and 218 b. In various embodiments, the pitch of the dispersion bumps 218 a and 218 b may be equal to the pitch of electrode bumps 216 and 217, respectively. Note that the dispersion bumps 218 a and 218 b may or may not be connected to internal circuit wirings of a semiconductor chip 210. Dispersion wiring patterns 235 a and 235 b may be bonded to the dispersion bumps 218 a and 218 b.

One end of input/output wiring patterns 231 and 233 and the dispersion wiring patterns 235 a and 235 b may be arranged around a chip mounting area 221 at a regular interval. This end of the input/output wiring patterns 231 and 233 may be flip-chip bonded to the electrode bumps 216 and 217 while the dispersion wiring patterns 235 a and 235 b may be flip-chip bonded to the dispersion bumps 218 a and 218 b. By using this approach, thermal stresses applied to a non-wiring region during bonding of the semiconductor chip 210 to the tape wiring substrate 240 may be dispersed, and thus providing improved bonding between the one end of the input/output wiring patterns 231 and 233 and the electrode bumps 216 and 217. Accordingly, the tape package 300 may reduce the likelihood of faults associated with EMI noise characteristic. Note that in various embodiments, the dispersion bumps 218 a and 218 b may be connected to a ground circuit of a semiconductor chip.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a tape package 400 in accordance with another example embodiment of the present invention.

The tape package 400 may include a tape wiring substrate 340 and a semiconductor chip 310 flip-chip bonded to the tape wiring substrate 340 using electrode bumps 316 and 317. Dispersion wiring patterns 335 a and 335 b of wiring patterns 330 may be connected to ground wiring patterns 331 a and 333 a of input/output wiring patterns 331 and 333 using connecting wiring patterns 337 a and 337 b, respectively. The input wiring pattern 331 and the output wiring pattern 333 may each have at least one ground wiring pattern 331 a and 333 a and power wiring pattern (not shown).

A first dispersion wiring pattern 335 a may be connected to the ground wiring pattern 331 a of the input wiring pattern 331 using a first connecting wiring pattern 337 a. A second dispersion wiring pattern 335 b may be connected to the ground wiring pattern 333 a of the output wiring pattern 333 using a second connecting wiring pattern 337 b. The connecting wiring patterns 337 a and 337 b may be formed in the chip mounting area 321 to connect the dispersion wiring patterns 335 a and 335 b to the ground wiring patterns 331 a and 333 a, respectively. The ground wiring patterns 331 a and 333 a may be bonded to ground bumps 316 a and 317 a of the electrode bumps 316 and 317, respectively. Although not shown, dispersion bumps bonded to the dispersion wiring patterns 335 a and 335 b may be provided in the semiconductor chip 310.

Although example, non-limiting embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail hereinabove, it should be understood that many variations and/or modifications of the basic inventive concepts taught herein, which may appear to those skilled in the art, will still fall within the spirit and scope of the example embodiments of the present invention as defined in the appended claims. 

1-20. (canceled)
 21. A tape wiring substrate for use in a chip-on-film (COF) package, the substrate comprising: a base film configured to receive a semiconductor chip thereon; an input/output (I/O) wiring pattern for transmitting I/O signals to and from the semiconductor chip through an electrode bump disposed on the semiconductor chip when the semiconductor chip is mounted on the base film, the I/O wiring pattern disposed on the base film and configured to receive the electrode bump; a dispersion wiring pattern disposed on the base film, the dispersion wiring pattern configured to receive a dispersion bump that is immediately adjacent to the electrode bump; and a connecting wiring pattern disposed on the base film, the connecting wiring pattern connecting an end of the dispersion wiring pattern to the I/O wiring pattern.
 22. The tape wiring substrate of claim 21, wherein the dispersion bump is connected to an internal circuit wiring of the semiconductor chip.
 23. The tape wiring substrate of claim 21, wherein the dispersion wiring pattern and the connecting pattern are disposed perpendicular with respect to each other.
 24. A COF package comprising: a semiconductor chip comprising a plurality of electrode bumps and a plurality of dispersion bumps thereon, one electrode bump and one dispersion bump immediately adjacent to each other; a tape wiring substrate disposed on the semiconductor chip, the substrate comprising: a base film; an input/output (I/O) wiring pattern for transmitting I/O signals to and from the semiconductor chip, the I/O wiring pattern disposed on the base film and on the one electrode bump; a dispersion wiring pattern disposed on the base film and the one dispersion bump; and a connecting wiring pattern disposed on the base film, the connecting wiring pattern connecting an end of the one dispersion wiring pattern to the I/O wiring pattern.
 25. The COF package of claim 24, wherein the semiconductor chip and the tape wiring substrate is attached through flip chip bonding.
 26. The COF package of claim 25, wherein an encapsulating material is disposed between the package and the substrate.
 27. The COF package of claim 24, wherein the I/O wiring pattern extends beyond an edge of the semiconductor chip and is connected to a printed circuit board.
 28. The COF package of claim 24, wherein the I/O wiring pattern extends beyond an edge of the semiconductor chip and is connected to a panel.
 29. A tape wiring substrate for use in a chip-on-film (COF) package, the substrate comprising: a base film configured to receive a semiconductor chip thereon; a wiring pattern set disposed on the base film, the wiring pattern set comprising: an input/output (I/O) wiring pattern for transmitting I/O signals to and from the semiconductor chip through an electrode bump disposed on the semiconductor chip when the semiconductor chip is mounted on the base film, the I/O wiring pattern disposed on the base film and configured to receive the electrode bump; a dispersion wiring pattern disposed on the base film, the dispersion wiring pattern configured to receive a dispersion bump that is immediately adjacent to the electrode bump; and a connecting wiring pattern disposed on the base film, the connecting wiring pattern connecting an end of the dispersion wiring pattern to the I/O wiring pattern, wherein the wiring pattern set is at least once repeated.
 30. A tape wiring substrate for use in a chip-on-film (COF) package, the substrate comprising: a base film configured to receive a semiconductor chip thereon; a first wiring pattern set and a second wiring pattern set, each comprising: an input/output (I/O) wiring pattern for transmitting I/O signals to and from the semiconductor chip through an electrode bump disposed on the semiconductor chip when the semiconductor chip is mounted on the base film, the I/O wiring pattern disposed on the base film and configured to receive the electrode bump; a dispersion wiring pattern disposed on the base film, the dispersion wiring pattern configured to receive a dispersion bump that is immediately adjacent to the electrode bump; and a connecting wiring pattern disposed on the base film, the connecting wiring pattern connecting an end of the dispersion wiring pattern to the I/O wiring pattern, wherein at least one I/O wiring pattern that is different from the I/O wiring patterns of the first and second wiring pattern sets is disposed between the first wiring pattern set and the second wiring pattern set. 